Tacking attachment for sewing-machines.



w. n. nAnGnAvEs, J. s. Hama & J.

'Patented my la, 190|. nosms.l

TACKING ATTACHMENT FOB .SEWING MACHINES.

#Application led Feb. 18, 1900.)

(No Model.)

gr HEI i Hamlin-lll 1n: Nonms uns co. Horam-mo.. wnsumovon. n. c

INVENTORS. l

Fiyi/53km@ aeg.

JtaoaRoberts.

THEIR ATTORNEY UNITED STATI-3s PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. HARGRAVES AND JOHN SIDNEYV HEILIG, OF ALLENTOWN, AND JACOB ROBERTS, OF CATASAUQUA, PENNSYLVANIA.

TACKING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

srncnrcATIoN forming part of Letters :Patent No. 678,398, dated July 1e, 190i.

Application iiled February 16, 1900. Serial No. 5,406. (No model.)

To all whom t may con/cern,.-

Be it known that we, WILLIAM H. HAR- GRAvEs and JOHNSIDNEY HEILIG, of Allentown, and JACOB ROBERTS, of Catasanqua, Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Tacking Attachments for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention has for its object to provide an attachment for sewing-machines which shall be adapted to tack lthe corners of pockets, buttonholes,crotches, &c.,wherever the parts are subjected to special strain, which would otherwise tend to rip or tear the sewed parts of the garment.

We will describe a device embodying our invention and then point out the novel features thereof in the claims.

Our attachment is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like letters of reference refer to similar parts in' the several Views.

Figure 1 is atop or plan view of the attachment. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is avertical longitudinal section on the plane of the Aline 3 3 of Fig. l. inverted plan view of the bottom of Vthe attachment. Fig. 5 is an end elevation of a cam-wheel looking from the front of the attachment. Fig. 6 is a plan view of a part of a friction-clutch device forming a part of the attachment, and Fig. 7 is a plan view of the clutch-operating lever.

a, a', and a2 designate, respectively, the bed portion, the cam-wheel casing, and the lugs for embracing the presser-foot bar, all of which parts are formed integral with each other and constitute what may be termed the Iixed body or frame of the device. -One of the lugs a? is provided with a jam-screw a3 for'clamping or adjustment to the presserfoot bar of the sewing-machine, and thereby securing the same in its proper working position. In the fixed casing a is journaled a shaft b, on the projecting end of which is keyed or otherwise secured a ratchet-wheel b. On the said shaft b, between the casing a and the ratchet-wheel b', .is pivot'ed a lever b2, which is provided with a spring-held pawl b in engagement with said ratchetwheel. One end of the spring h6 bears in a Fig. 4 is an-` groove on the top of the pawl b3, and its other end is seated in a groove in the washer b5 and clamped between said washer and a flatheaded screw b'4, having engagement with the lever 52. By seating the spring b4 in a groove in the top of the pawl the said spring is prevented from being knocked or crushed out of place by the work or other means when the attachment is in operation.

' To impart a rotary movement to the ratchetwheel b', we connect the forwardvend of the lever b2 with the needle-bar of the machine by means of a link having two eyes whose aires are at right angles to each other, the said end of the lever b2 having sliding connection with the eye 57 of this link. The other eye ha of this link is secured on the needle set-screw or clamp of the needle-bar, so as to impart an oscillating movement to the link. Hence under the reciprocating motion of the needlebar the lever b2 will be oscillated, and through the pawl b3 and ratchet-wheel b the shaft b will receive an intermittent rotary motion in a constant direction. In order to give the desired vibratory movement of the cloth-clamp, we secure on the shaft b by a screw e9 or other suitable means a cam-wheel c, having a peripheral zigzag cam groove c. The camgroove c of the cam c is engaged from below by a roller c2 on a stud c3, formed integral with a lever c4. This lever is fulcrumed on a screw-bolt c5, extending through an opening in the frame ,portion a., the lower end of said bolt being reduced with respect to the body vportion and having screw-threaded engagement with the lever c4, against which it is screwed tightly. The projecting screwthreaded portion of the bolt c5is also engaged by a nut c, which is screwed up tightly against Vthe lever c4 and holds the latter firmly to the bolt c5 under the rapid vibratory movement of said lever. The nut c6 also serves to hold the retaining-plate e inposition. On the lever c4 and having dovetailed engagement Vtherewith is a cross-head slide d, which may be clamped to said lever c4in any desired position by a set-screw d', which works through a longitudinal slot e in the retaining-plate e.

Between the cross-head slide d and the side walls of the slot fri in the cloth-clamp plate are shoes d2, which 0n their inner sides conform to the cross-head slide and on their outer sides are grooved to engage the walls of the slot f7, so that when placed in position said shoes will be held between the cross-head d and the walls of said slot. These shoes d2 provide an excellent wearing-surface, and they may easily be replaced when worn out.

In the rear part of the cloth-clamp plate f is a longitudinal slot f3, in which works a block f5, mounted on a screw f6, the body of which screw passes through an opening in the retaining-plate e and also through said block and serves as a fulcrum for the vibratory movement of the clotlrclamp plate and of the retaining-plate e when the parts are in working position. The block f5 is especially to provide a good bearing-surface at the fulcrum for the longitudinal movement of the plate f. The block f5 might be dispensed with by having the screw f6 bear directly against the sides of the slot f3; but such arrangement would not wear well. With the said block there is a good bearing-surface for the oscillation of the block about the screw and for the sliding of the block in the slot f3. The reduced threaded part of the screw f6 is in engagement with an opening in the body of the frame of t-he attachment. It will thus be seen that the cloth-clamp platef is held between the bottom of the bed portion of the frame and the retaining-plate e by means of the parts ol, c5, c, and f G. The transverse slot e2 in the retaining-plate e and the longitudinal slot f7 in the forward part of the clothclamp slidef are of the proper lateral dimensions, so as to afford clearance for the nut c6 under the lateral swinging or vibrating movement of the cloth-clamp.

By the rotary motion of the cam-wheel c the lever c4 will be vibrated in a horizontal plane and will impart a similar motion to the cloth-clamp plate j about its fulcrumf5 and the retaining-plate e about its fulcrum f6. The extent of the throw or amplitude of.vi bratory movement of the cloth-clamp is detei-mined by the position of the cross-head d on the lever c4, the throw being increased as the distance of the said head from the fulcrum of the lever is increased.

The cloth-clamp platefis provided at its forward end with a serrated cloth-clamp f', which is rigidly connected to the platef by screws f2 engaging holes in the ends of the cloth-clamp plate and passing through slots in lugs projecting from the sides of the clothclamp. These slots allow a certain amount of lateral adjustment of the cloth-clamp f with respect to the platef. The cloth-clamp is provided with an openingf", which is of such dimensions that the metal portions of said clamp will not at any time be directly under the needle of the sewing-machine.

lVe will now describe the means by which the cloth-clamp plate is given a progressive longitudinal feed. The rear end of the plate f has a vertical portion f8, to which is fastened rigidly byany suitable means the downwardly-projecting portion of a cross-head g, having an opening g, within which travels a block g3. This block is secured on the upper face of a disk g4 by means of a jam-screw g5 passing through an opening in said block and having screw-threaded engagement with a plate g, which plate has dovetailed engagement with the disk g4. The dovetailed groove 97, in which the plate gG is set, extends diametrically of the disk g4, and the thickness of the plate gG is a little less than the depth of the groove gl', thereby providing a clearance between the top surface of the plate gG and the under surface of the block g3, so that said plate and block may be adjusted to any desired position radially from the center of the disk g1 to increase or decrease the extent of travel of the cloth-clamp plate f, according to the length of the tack desired.

Plates or guides g', fastened rigidly to the cross-head guby screws g2, have downturned portions which extend over the side walls of said opening. These plates provide a simple means of adjustment and for taking up wear.

The disk g4 is formed with a hub f, which is seated in an opening in the bed portion a of the frame, said hub having a shoulderf, which bears against the upper surface of said bed portion. On the under surface of the disk g4 is an annular' groove g8, into which is placed a clutch-ring formed of halves g, each half having a portion of one end removed, so as to leave arectangular opening g10 between them. Into the opening g1 fits a stud h', rigidly secured to a lever h, fulcrumed on the hub ff of the disk g4 immediately above the bed portion at, the opening h2 in said lever being such as to provide a clearance between the lever and the hub ff. To operate the lever h by the ratchet-wheel b', we provide a slide-bar i, which rests loosely on a flange a4 of the frame of the attachment. This slidebar t' has an upturned end e" engaging the projecting end h3 of the lever 7L, and the other end of the slide-bar t' has a pin i2, which is engaged by the end of lever b2 on the upward movement of the outer end of the lever b2, received from the reciprocating needle-bar. The inner end of said lever imparts a forward movement to the slide-bar i, thereby giving an intermittent rotary movement to the lever 71, and giving the stud h a twisting motion between the ends of the halves g of the clutch-ring and jamming the said halves against the outside of the annular groove g8 of the disk g4. This movement causes the disk g4, the ring formed of the halves g, and the lever h to be locked together' as one piece rotating on the hub fg. When the forward IOO IIO

end of the slide-bar is released by the lever lss in said groove. The parts will then be in a position to be rotated again on the next throw of the lever b2. The plate g6 is provided with a stud Q12, which fits into an opening in the block g3, and as the parts are securely locked together the intermittent rotary motion of the disk g4 is imparted to the block g3, causing the latter to travel longitudinally in the opening g of the cross-head gu. This movement of the block g3 imparts to the clothclamp and plate an intermittent feed lengthwise of the attachment, one complete rotation of the disk g4 feeding the said plate once forward and backward, a short dwell occurring at the ends of the tack when the block gs is at the center of the opening g. The block g3 may be termed an equalizing-cam, as it equalizes the successive steps of the progressive longitudinal feed movement of the cloth-clamp plate. In general contour the block g8 is triangular and its periphery is so curved that the stitches of the tack will be at equal distances from one another except just at the ends of the tack, where several stitches are made to give extra strength and tie the threads.

Any rotation of the clutch-disk g4 in a direction reverse to that which it receives through the lever h is prevented by a friction spring-Washer f12 bearing against the under side of the frame a and held in position by a set-screw f 10, having screw-threaded engagement with the hub f".

In order 4co vary the throw of the slide-bar i, it is provided with an upwardly-projecting arm 113, which contacts with a stop i4, set into the frame a and held from rotation by a setscrew i5. This stop is made in the form of a screw having its head eccentric to the body portion, so that by adjusting the same the slide-bari will be permitted to move a greater or less distance. v

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a sewing-machine attachment the combination with the cloth-clamp plate, of a lever, means to connect said lever with the needle-bar of the machine, a slide-bar actuated by said lever, a clutch device engaged and operated by said slide-bar, said slide-bar resting loosely on a flange along the side of the frame of the attachment, and means actuated by said clutch device for imparting to the cloth-clamp an intermittent progressive feed movement lengthwise of the attachment, substantially as described.

2. In a sewing-machine attachment, the combination with the cloth-clamp plate, of a shaft carrying a cam, a ratchet-wheel fixed to the cam-shaft, a pawl and pawl-lever for actuating said ratchet-wheel, mechanism inltermediate said cam and plate for imparting to thelatter a vibratory movement, a slidebar actuated by said pawl-lever, a clutch device engaged and operated by said slide-bar, said slide-bar resting loosely on a iiange along the side of the frame of the attachment, and means actuated by said clutch device for imparting to the` cloth-clamp an intermittent progressive feed movement lengthwise of the attachment, substantially as described.

3. In a sewing-machine attachment the combination with the cloth-clamp plate having a slotted cross head extending transversely to said plate, of means for imparting to said plate a vibratory movement, comprising a lever having means for connecting it to the need-le-bar of the machine, a slide-bar resting loosely on a fiange along the side of the frame of the attachment actuated by said lever, a clutch device comprising a disk and a lever, the latter being in engagement withsaid slide-bar, and a block clamped to said disk and engaging the walls of said slot, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification inthe presence of subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM H. HARGRAVES. JOHN SIDNEY HEILIG. JACOB ROBERTS. Witnesses for Wm. H. Hargraves: CHRISTOPHER G. YOUNG, HARRY CUNNINGHAM. Witnesses for John S. Heilig:

IDA DOWNS, Gno. W. GRAFRIN. Witnesses for Jacob Roberts:

GEo.,E. HoL'roN, C. O. FULLER. 

